That’s a very fair point, my experience was very different than yours so that’s where I’m coming from. Usually though if I want to convince someone to switch I start by addressing the big concerns like compatibility, which is way more helpful. But then again that’s much easier to do when the conversation starts with the knowledge that the other party is very much aware of Linux

you have convinced me

I have talked to them too but they are uninterested in switched operating systems. They don’t have enough of an understanding about windows to be frustrated by it. Someone got mad because “well why don’t you just use mac if you don’t like windows?”

unfortunate but they will have other opportunities to hear about it. also, we should kinda treat things on a case by case basis on whether to let people vent their frustrations and move on or to offer solutions. but I’m pretty sure if someone is talking about their frustrations with windows online, they already know about Linux

you are also being divisive! we can criticize people’s behavior without resorting to name calling and saying we should have nothing to do with them. They have their problems but I’m sure they are good people. Even good people are capable of doing bad thoughtless things sometimes, it’s not black and white.

and before anyone says, yes I know it’s just a silly Linux post but I see this kind of behavior everywhere and I’m tired of it. It isn’t exclusive to silly Linux posts, it’s a general mindset that seems to bleed into everything.

Be honest with yourselves; How many of you actually read this post and tried to make even the slightest effort to see where OP is coming from? The reaction to someone who’s view was “Yes, I already know Linux is great but it can’t be installed on my work PC so saying use Linux isn’t actually helpful” being “I’m not your fucking therapist” is absurd. Do you believe there is truly not a single valid reason to use windows whatsoever?

I know it seems like it’s not a big deal. You go online, act a little mean, and that’s that. I love the internet, but unfortunately our poor use of it has cultivated a society where we no longer try to understand each other. I know people here are smart, even the ones I disagree with. So I really don’t get the over the top reactions to a bland statement.

We create the world we live in through every action we take, no matter how small. Telling people they don’t have the right to vent frustrations just to feel better isn’t a kind thing to do. It’s divisive to your own communities. If you want to live in a better world, be a better person. I feel like this is all just indicative of a much, much larger problem in society. It perfectly captures how callous we have all become. We forget somewhere on the other end of the screen there was a person with a valid perspective and point.

I know it comes across as preachy, but I am horrified by the state of the world and desperately want things to change. But we can’t even behave ourselves on a dumb post about an operating system. And some of you want to talk about changing our economic structures when the real problem here is that none of us seem to have interpersonal skills anymore. I know this is just a very small example that ultimately doesn’t matter much, but I see this kind of behavior everywhere for things that really matter.

Maybe I’m too soft, but being unnecessarily rude is nothing to be proud of, being unnecessarily kind is.

tl;dr: take a good long look at yourself and ask if you are giving the same level of understanding that you expect to receive from others (and you should expect it!)

Have you considered that complaining was a solution? It makes people feel a little better to talk about things that bother them. I think this matters a lot more to you than other people. Why completely switch operating systems if a bit of venting is all you need? Who’s gonna go through that trouble? The reaction everyone is having is as though battered sobbing windows users come crying and begging for help because their computers beat them. It’s really not that deep. Not to them at least. None of this has been a normal response to someone saying sometimes they want to complain about a minor problem they face. There are people saying “I’m not your therapist” as if someone saying they don’t like their OS is practically treating them like a therapist. Maybe we can all be a little bit nicer to each other? I thought people on Lemmy were more or less on the same side of things but everyone seems to treat each other like an enemy here too. It is beyond disappointing

Complaining about how you think other people shouldn’t be allowed to complain is wild. Yes, actually we are all entitled to complain from time to time. And we should, it’s good for us to vent. I hope you are able to break away from that horrible mindset, you should feel allowed to complain.